Hendersonville Boy Celebrates 11th Birthday On 9/11

Updated: Friday, August 2 2013, 10:21 PM EDT

While the nation remembers the victims of 9/11, a Henderson County boy celebrates his 11th birthday. Tyler Jones is a 5th grader at Atkinson Elementary School. He's an animal lover who enjoys skating, b.b. guns and trains.

Tyler says he was born at Pardee Hospital just before 3:00 p.m. the day of the terrorist attack. Tyler's mom, Tara Simpson, was 15 at the time. She remembers being in labor, seeing some of the attacks on tv, and the nurse changing her tv to Lifetime because it "was all too awful to watch." Tyler says his birthday can be hard because he "thinks about all the people who died on that day."

Today, Tyler's class celebrated his birthday with a cookie cake. His teacher, Kim Brown, called him a "blessing on a tragic day." Tyler's mom, Tara, says her son has an unusual sensitivity and empathy for others. She adds he loves everyone, and is always helping someone. Tara says being born on 9/11/01 may have something to do with that.